Benefits for Extension Master Gardeners:

What exactly are volunteer opportunities?

Extension Master Gardeners support the UT Extension residential and consumer horticulture program in their county. They coordinate and teach plant clinics and garden seminars, answer horticulture questions and write articles or newsletters. Master Gardeners share what they enjoy with the general public.

Interested in hearing perspectives on the Tennessee Master Gardener program?

The National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture (NICH) creates a unified voiceto promote the benefits and value of horticulture. NICH brings together academia, government, industry and nonprofits to cultivate the growth and development of a healthy worldthrough landscapes, gardens and plants – indoors and out.

This movementnurtures a passion and appreciation for plants and increases the demand for gardening, from horticultural grants at universities to attendance at public gardens to foot traffic in garden centers.

Mission:

Growing a healthy world through plants, gardens, and landscapes.

Vision:

Use stakeholder partnerships to increase the percentage of U.S. households participating in Consumer Horticulture to 90% by 2025!

Need to record your amazing ​volunteer hours?

Click the link below!

Registration is open for the Western Region TEMG Workshop- October 12thHosted by the Memphis Area Master Gardeners

Enjoy a beautiful fall day in Memphis with the opportunity to visit both the Memphis Botanic Garden and the Dixon Garden and Gallery. In addition to tours and keynote sessions by Greg Touliatos and Jim Crowder (MBG), there will be the opportunity to network with MGs from the region and purchase plants at the MBG nursery in afternoon.

​June 8th in Crossville- hosted by CCMGA

Our Eastern region workshop was a beautiful day at the Plateau Research and Education Center and UT Gardens- Crossville: Plateau Discoery Garden where over 100 volunteers and Extension personnel enjoyed excellent sessions on ornamentals, photography, demonstration garden and youth outreach (KinderGarden pictured above), research opportunities, garden IPM, and managing home ponds.

June 22nd in Murfreesboro

A little rain was no match for the dedication and passion of our TEMG team. Our central region workshop saw over 90 volunteers and Extension folks enjoy inspiring tours of Ellington Ag Center (Davidson Co), Cedars of Lebanon state park butterfly garden and the arboretum in Fiddlers Grove (Wilson Co) as well as Lane Agri-Park (Rutherford Co). We then enjoyed some interactive afternoon workshops on ‘help with your helpline’ and working with youth.

​​Workshops are not limited to TEMG's in that area- Feel free to attend any workshop of interest.

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Digital Networking Sessions for 2017!

These video conference meetings will provide TEMG's from around the state the opportunity to visit and share about important organizational and leadership topics.

​January 13th -Introduction and discussion for new (and not so new) officers

February 3rd -Learning to answer horticulture questions from citizens

June 2nd -Mentoring to retain interns and engage experinced TEMG's

November 3rd - Speakers bureaus

All networking meetings will be held at 11 am EST and 10am CST. Your county coordinator and leaders will be sent details on connecting. Materials and recording can be found under the Program Handbooks link under MG resources.